21 qualify to run for office in Concordia

Published 12:02 am Saturday, August 18, 2012

VIDALIA — Twenty-one Concordia Parish residents will appear on the Nov. 6 election ballot as qualifying closed Friday afternoon.

While several seats will have some competition, several candidates will run unopposed in the November election.

Unopposed candidates will be:

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• Ridgecrest mayor — Dwayne Sikes.

• Ferriday alderman district E — Gloria Lloyd.

• Concordia Parish School Board district 5, place A — Warren Enterkin.

• Justice of the peace district 5B — Tim Charrier.

Opposed candidates will be:

• Concordia Parish School Board district 4, place B — Angela Hayes, Jeffery Goodman and David Turner.

• Justice of the peace district 1 — Justin Conner and Benja R. Fussell.

• Ridgecrest alderman — Cecil “Frank” Gatlin, Jeff Johnson and Bobby Sheppard Sr.

• Ferriday alderman district A — Robert Allen and Somer Lance.

• Ferriday alderman district B — Elijah “Stepper” Banks, Chris Chatman and Allen Froust.

• Ferriday alderman district C — Felton Dupree and Sandra Gail Pryor.

• Ferriday alderman district D — Johnnie Brown and Marcus “Slim” Martin.

All five seats on the Ferriday Board of Aldermen were open for qualifying, after candidates were halted from qualifying for the spring ballot because the town failed to submit its redistricting plan in time for U.S. Department of Justice approval.

Chief Deputy Clerk of Court Becky Zerby said the qualifying process went smoothly, but also said she received some comments about potential candidates not living in the district in which they qualified.

Zerby said candidates or residents have until 4:30 p.m. Friday to file a petition to contest a candidate’s qualifications at the clerk of court’s office.